Turn-over door



Oct. 6, 1964 T. l.. URQUHART TURN-OVER DOOR 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 3l, 1961 INVENTOR.

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TURN-OVER DOOR Filed Aug. 3l, 1961 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 r INVEN TOR.

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TURN-OVER nooR Filed Aug. 31, 1961 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Ill a NM: JNVENTOR :Il rHoR/vro/v z. aktiv/HART T- I l E lll By @wil MMMMZ@ A 7' TGR/VIV@ United States Patent O 3,151,853 TURN-OVER DQOR Thornton L. Urquhart, Farmington, Mich., assignor to Byrne Doors, Inc., Ferndale, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed Aug. 31, 1961, Ser. No. 136,150 19 Claims. (Cl. 268-36) The present invention relates to doors, and refers more particularly to doors of the turn-over type.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my cpending application Serial No. 21,426, led April l1, 1960, and now abandoned.

One object of the invention is to provide a turn-over door which employs a novel linkage system instead of overhead tracks. With this design, both the required head room and the jamb requirements are reduced. Another advantage in a construction of this type is that crane runways can extend close to the door opening since there are no tracks to provide interference.

Another object of the invention is to provide a turnover door which is fast acting and low in initial and maintenance costs.

A further object of the invention is to provide a turnover door composed of upper and lower leaves in which mechanism is provided for guiding a substantially vertical movement of the lower leaf until it moves abreast of the upper leaf whereupon the two leaves swing together to a substantially horizontal position over the door opening.

A still further object is to provide a turn-over door as described in the preceding paragraph in which a novel linkage system provides a smooth transition between the vertical and horizontal movements of the leaves so that the changes in direction take place Without any undue stresses or jarring of the supporting assembly.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating preferred embodiments of the invention, wherein:

FIGURE l is a perspective view of a turn-over door embodying the invention, with the door shown in open position, looking from the inside of a building in which the door is installed.

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view of the door shown in FIGURE 1, in closed position.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of the structure shown in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a side elevation showing the door apart from the jamb structure.

FIGURE 5 is a vertical sectional view similar to FIG- URE 2, but showing the door in open position.

FIGURE 6 is a horizontal section looking down on the leaves of the door in closed position, and taken on the line 6-6 in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 8 8 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary view of a portion of FIG- URE 6, with parts removed for clarity.

FIGURE 10 is an enlarged fragmentary View of a portion of the upper leaf and wind lock arm in substantially their FIGURE 2 position, and showing also a portion of the lower leaf when the hook thereof engages the latching bearing.

FIGURE l1 is like FIGURE 10, but shows the parts in a different position.

FIGURES 12 and 13 are sectional views taken on the lines 12-12, and 13-13, respectively, of FIGURE 10.

FIGURES 14 and 15 are sectional views on the lines 14-14, and 15-15, respectively, of FIGURE 2.

3,151,858 Fatented Oct. 6, 1964 Mice FIGURE 16 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the door leaves partially open.

FIGURES 17-19 are like FIGURES 2 and 5 and a portion of FIGURE 8, but illustrate a modification.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and especially to FIGURES l-16, the turn-over door there illustrated is composed of the upper and lower leaves 10 and 12 which are movable between the closed position shown in FIGURE 2 and the open position shown in FIG- URES 1 and 5. The leaves are of generally rectangular outline as illustrated, and in the closed position are disposed vertically one above the other. Actually, as viewed in FIGURE 2, the lower leaf is offset inwardly of the upper leaf, and in closed position slightly overlaps the upper leaf. In the open position of the door, the leaves overlie one another and are disposed overhead in horizontal position above the door opening.

Referring to FIGURES 1 and 2, the door opening iS indicated generally at 16 and is defined by the soilt 17 across the top and the spaced upright jamb assemblies 18 and 2t) which are rigidly supported by the jamb mountings 22 (FIGURE 7) securely fastened to the wall structure 23 of the building having the opening. The lower half of each jamb assembly includes a plate 24 having a laterally outwardly turned ange 26 which provides a track or guide for the lower leaf. The guide tracks 26 extend parallel to each other in the same plane from the floor level to about one-half the height of the opening, and shoes 28 carried by the lower leaf engage the corresponding guide tracks 26. Each edge of the lower leaf is provided with a pair of the vertically spaced shoes 28 (FIG- URE 4) which cooperate with the edge of the leaf to deine a channel (FIGURE 7) in which the tr-acks 26 are closely received.

In the lower or closed position of the door leaves both sets of the shoes 28 engage the corresponding guide tracks to support the leaf against wind load.

Referring to FIGURES 1, 2 and 5, means are provided for guiding the opening and closing movements of the leaves, and such means includes the cantilever arm assemblies 30 on each side of the door opening. Each arm assembly 39 includes a brace arm 32, the lower end of which carries a wheel 34 rotatably supported thereon by the pin 36.

Referring to FIGURE 3, wheel support assemblies are provided, one mounted on each of the jamb assemblies and each including a spring housing 38 and a wheel support block 40 projecting thereabove and vertically slida-ble therein. A compression coil spring 42 within the housing is compressed between the bottom wall 44 thereof and the support block 40, normally urging the support block to an upper limiting position slightly above that shown in FIGURE 3. The wheel 34 has a concave periphery and the support block 49 is formed with a complementary upper end to be engaged by the roller and thereby resiliently support the brace arm. A vertical track 45 (FIGURES 7 and 8) is provided on the ange of each jamb plate 75 for the wheels 34 to guide their movement from the FIGURE 2 to the FIGURE 5 position.

Referring to FIGURES 1, 2 and 5, a pair of guy arms 46 is provided, one at either side of the door opening, the upper ends of these arms being pivoted to the associated jamb assemblies by pins 48. The pins 48 eX- tend on a common line transversely of the opening and are rigidly secured to the plates 50 and 52 of the jamb assemblies (FIGURE 6). The pins 48 carry balls 53 received in openings in the guy arms to provide limited swivel action. The plates 50 and 52 are spaced apart far enough to permit this. The other ends of the guy arms are pivoted to the brace arms by the pins 54. Pins Y r Y Y 3 54 (FIGURE 14) extend between the flanges of the U- section brace arms and have bushings 55 received in openings in the arms 46. The arms 46 are rather closely confined between the sides or iangesV of the brace arms.

A wind lock arm 56'(FIGURES l, 2 and 5) is provided for each brace arm,.one end thereof being pivoted to the upper end portion of the corresponding brace arm by the pin 58. The other end of each wind lock arm carries a pin 60 upon which is journaled a latching bearing 62 (FIGURES 10-13). The latching bearings 62 are slidable within the generally rectangular guides 64 formed on the upper end portions of the channels66 respectively carried by the opposite longitudinal edges of the upper leaf. The purpose of the latching bearings will be explained more fully below.

The channels 66 extend for the full length of the upper leaf and have the outwardly turned angesor guide tracks 68 (FIGURE 8) which are disposed in a common plane and which, in the closed position of the door, extend in continuation of the flanges 26 above the latter. In the closed position of the door the upper shoes 28 of the lower leaf not only engage the xed guide tracks 26 of the jamb assemblies, but also overlap and engage the guide tracks 66 of the upper leaf. The guide tracks guide the lower leaf to a position abreast of the upper leaf during the initial opening movement. The rectangular guides 64 are formed at the upper ends of the engaging the nose 106 in the recess.

channels by extending one leg 67 thereof and providing a ange 69 from the extended channel leg (FIGURE l2). The upper leaf is provided near its lower edge and on opposite sides thereof with a pair of dogs 70 (FIG- URES 2, 4 and 8, which project inwardly and, in the closed position of the door, rest on the spring loaded rollers 72 carried by the brace arms. The rollers 72 are freely rotatable and are urged upwardly by the springs 74, that is, in a direction away from wheel 34, to hold the upper leaf clear of the top 74 (FIGURE 5) of the guide plates 24 for the lower leaf. The upper leaf does not run in guide tracks and in closed position is held against the transverse jamb plates 75 (FIGURE 8). As seen in FIGURES 2 and 4, each dog 70 has a lug 76 engageable with theV roller in closed position. While the lower portion of the upper leaf is held against jamb plates 75 by engagement with shoe 23 of the lower leaf, there is some play between the shoe and guide which is taken up by the lugs 76 engaging rollers 72.

Plates 75 are parts of the jamb assemblies 18 and 20 and extend for the fu-ll height of the door opening, having the parallel sections 78 and 80 (FIGURE 7) extending transversely of the door opening and providing roller guides for the rollers S2 secured to the bottom of the lower leaf by the brackets 84. Hence, the lower portion of the leaf is guided by the rollers 82 during the entire opening and closing movement of the door.

A wind lock 90 (FIGURES 2 and l5) is carried by each jamb assembly. Each wind lock is formed with an inward extension 92 adapted to be engaged by a dog 93 on the corresponding wind lock arm 56. Each dog 93 is rigidly mounted on its wind lock arm and in closed position it engages over the extension 92 (FIGURE 10). Since the latching bearings 62 of the wind lock arms are engaged in guides 64 of the upper leaf in closed position (FIGURE 12), wind load on the upper portions of the upper leaf is resisted by engagement of the dogs 93 with the wind lock extensions 92, thereby holding the upper portions of the leaves tight against the jamb plates 75. The engaging surface 95 of each wind lock arm dog 93 is inclined in the closed position of the door, as seen in FIGURE 10, to have a wedging action iirmly seating the upper portions of the upper leaf with respect to the plates 75 of the jamb assemblies.

Each wind lock 90 also has the spaced arms 97 defining inwardly opening slots for receiving and guiding the guy arms 46 when the leaves are closed.

Referring again to FIGURES 10-13, the latching bearings 62 are adapted for locking engagement with the upper shoe guides 28 of the lower leaf. The locking members 62 are freely rotatable on the pins 60 and have lower extensions 100, each formed with a latching recess 102 on its inner side. Each of the upper guide shoes 2S on the lower leaf has a xed hook 104, the nose 106 of which is shaped to enter and have a close iit in the recess 102. As the lower leaf is raised, the nose of the hook engages the inclined surface 108 of the extension 100 camming it to the dotted line position'of FIGURE 10 and when the nose 106 moves up further, it hits the bearing off-center to return it to the solid line position This action of the bearing returning to the solid line position is assisted by gravity due to the construction of the bearing and its eX- tension. Continued upward movement of the lower leaf will cause the extension 1'00 to enter the guide64 so that it cannot return to the dotted line position and release the hook, because of the engagement of its offset 109 with the extended channel leg 67. The lower leaf is thereafter locked to the wind lock `arm during the continued opening movement of the door.

An operator 112 (FIGURE l) is provided for opening and closing the door and comprises a motor 114 and suitable pulleys 116 for operating the cables 118 which are secured at their lower ends to the brackets 84 supporting the lower rollers 82 of the bottom leaf. A counterweight is also provided, carried by the cables 118 associated with the pulleys 116 and extended around sheaves on the counterweight. The cables come back up to dead end at the operator. The counterweight somewhat offsets the weight of the door and makes for easier operation.

In operation, the lower leaf is raised by the operator 112. The leaf rises vertically until the hooks 104 on the upper shoes 28 engage the wind lock arm latching bearings 62. The upper guide shoes 28 initially overlap both the fixed guide tracks 26 and the guide tracks 68 on the upper leaf, and at the point where the hooks 104 engage the Wind lock arm latching bearings, the upper and lower shoe guides have completely left the xed guide tracks 26 and are engaged in the guide tracks 68 of the upper leaf only. This engagement of the shoes 28 of the lower leaf with the guide tracks of the upper leaf allows the lower leaf to slide parallel to the upper leaf` but prevents separation of the leaves. As the lower leaf continues to rise, the wind lock arms 56 pivot about their connections with the brace arms. Initially, each wind lock arm, or more specifically, a straight line connecting pivot 58 at one end thereof with pivot 60 at the other end, is horizontal (FIGURE 2). However, each wind lock arm pivots to a substantially vertical position (dotted lines, FIGURE 2) where it engages a stop 125 on the upper end of the brace arm. During this pivotal movement of the wind lock arm, the upper portions of both leaves move toward the inside of the building, or to the right as viewed in FIGURES 2 and 5. The lower portion of the lower leaf is guided in its vertical travel by the rollers 82 during this sliding movement of the lower leaf relative to the upper leaf, and the upper leaf is resiliently supported on the rollers 72 of the brace arms during this time. The weight of the upper leaf on the rollers 72 prevents the brace arms from rising. The brace arms are of course resiliently supported by the wheel support blocks 40.

The pivotal movement of the wind lock arm from a horizontal position produces a gradual inward movement of the upper edges of the leaves, during which time the lower leaf is rising relative to the upper leaf. This inward movement of the upper edges of the leaves is gradual because initially the latching bearings of the wind lock arms move vertically, which vertical movement becomes less and less as the horizontal component increases to a maximum when the wind lock arm reaches a vertical position. At this point, the wind lock arms engage the stops 125 on the brace arms preventing further pivotal movement thereof with respect to the brace arms. At the instant that the wind lock arms engage stops 125, the latching bearings 62 thereon engage the abutments 130 at the upper ends of the guides 64 so that continued movement of the cantilever arm assemblies 3) to the position of FIGURE 5 is eective to move the upper leaf as a unit with the lower leaf. The motive force for moving the arm assemblies 30 is of course the operator 112 through the lower leaf. At the point where the leaves move together, they completely overlie one another. As the upper leaf is initially picked up by the cantilever arm assemblies through engagement of the latching bearings with the guide abutments 130, the upper leaf dogs 70 are lifted slightly relative to the brace arms, but not enough to disengage the rollers 72 which are spring urged upwardly, since from this point the brace arms move as a rigid unit with the wind lock arms. The wheels 34 at the lower ends of the brace arms are in continuous engagement with tracks 45 during the opening and closing movement.

It will be noted in FIGURES 2 and 5 that when the wind lock arms are in engagement with the stops 125, the distance between the pivots 48 and 54 of the guy arm 46 of each arm assembly is equal to the distance between the pivot 54 and the wheel pivot 36 on the brace arm as well as the distance between the pivot 54 and the pivot 60 on the wind lock arm 56. It will also be noted that the pivot 54 lies on a straight line connecting the pivots 36 and 60. Hence, the pivots 48, 54 and 36 define an isosceles triangle and the pivots 48, 54 and 60 also define an isosceles triangle. Nhile these triangles change during the opening movement from the dotted line position of the wind lock arms in FIGURE 2 to the Open position of FIGURE 5, the triangles remain isosceles. Therefore, since the wheels 34 and hence their pivots 36 more vertically during the opening movement, the latching bearings 62 carried by pivots 60 of necessity move horizontally after the wind lock arms become vertical. Hence, the upper edges of the leaves also move horizontally.

After the wind lock arms reach the dotted line position of FIGURE 2, the latching bearings 62 and the upper edges of the leaves continue to move horizontally while the lower edges of the leaves move vertically, pushing the wind lock arms and the upper ends of the brace arms, which have become rigidly engaged, inwardly. The guy arms 46 of course control the movements of the brace arms due to their pivotal connections therewith. When fully open, the leaves are above the soit 17 and in horizontal position, and the dogs 70 of the upper leaf have left the supporting rollers 72 of the brace arms. The lower portions of the leaves are supported by the cable from the operator 112 and the upper edges of the leaves are supported from beneath by the cantilever arm assemblies 3S.

When the action is reversed, the lower edges of the leaves are lowered by the operator 112, pulling the wind lock arm latching bearing and the upper edges of the leaves toward the wall in a horizontal direction and causing the lower ends of the brace arms to drop. When the wheels on the lower ends of the brace arms engage the wheel support blocks 40, they are cushioned by the action of coil spring 42 and yieldably supported. At this time, the upper ends of the brace arms have completed their travel toward the wall and the wind lock arms begin to pivot about their connections with the brace arms to allow a more gradual horizontal movement of the upper edges of the leaves toward the jamb assemblies. During the initial closing movement, that is, before the brace arms engages the wheel support blocks 4i), the dogs 70 on the upper leaves re-engage the rollers 72 of the brace arms so that when the brace arms engage the support blocks 40, the upper leaf is held from further downward movement. The lower leaf then begins to slide downwardly relative to the upper leaf, guided by the tracks 68 thereon.

At the same time that the brace arms engage the wheel support blocks 40 `and the lower leaf begins to slide relative to the upper leaf, the wind lock arms start -to pivot relative to the brace arms. Therefore, the horizontal movement of the upper portions of the leaves decelerates and reaches zero just as the leaves reach their vertical position and a line through the pivots 58 and 60 of each wind lock arm becomes horizontal. By this time, the wind lock arm dogs 93 have engaged the wind lock extensions 92 to limit downward travel of the wind lock arms. At this point also, the latching bearing extensions are below the rectangular guides 64 allowing them to pivot to the dotted line position of FIG- URE 10 to release the hooks 104 as the lower leaf continues to move down. Prior to this, the hooks 104 were engaged with the latching bearings so that the downward force caused by the lower leaf pulling on the wind lock arm latching bearings helped to close the upper leaf against any wind load that might exist. After release of hooks 104, the lower leaf moves independently to closed position.

During the initial opening movement of the upper leaf, its center of gravity descends slightly, and during final closing movement, its center of gravity rises slightly. More specifically, as the lower leaf rises, it engages the wind lock arms 56 causing them to pivot from the solid line position of FIGURE 2 to the dotted line position thereof. During this time, the upper leaf swings inward with the lower leaf by reason of the fact that the shoe guides 28 of the lower leaf are engaged in the guide tracks 68 of the upper leaf. Inward swinging of the upper leaf takes place about the axes of rollers 82 at the bottom of the lower leaf. The lower edge of the upper leaf, however, does not rise during this time and therefore the center of gravity of the upper leaf descends.

As the wind lock arms 56 swing from the dotted line position of FIGURE 2 to the solid line position thereof during closing, the upper leaf swings outward about the axes of rollers 82 on the lower leaf and the center of gravity of lthe upper leaf accordingly rises.

It will be understood that while the center of gravity of the upper leaf falls slightly during initial opening movement and rises slightly during iinal closing movement (that is, during the time that the wind lock arms 56 pivot with respect to the brace arms 32), the upper leaf rises continuously during its further opening movement and descends continuously from full open position to the position where the wind lock arm starts -to pivot from the dotted line position of FIGURE 2.

Although the upper leaf rises slightly during its fina] closing movement, the momentum of both leaves toward closed position is ordinarily suiicient to effect a complete closing of both upper and lower leaves without interruption. However, for smoother operation and so that closing will be easier and require less effort, it is desirable to have a continuous descent in the center of gravity in the upper leaf during even the iinal portion of its closing movement. It is also desirable for the same reasons to have a continuous rise in the center of gravity of the upper leaf even during the initial portion of its opening movement. The construction of FIGURES 17-19 achieves this result and is therefore preferred. FIGURE 17 is like FIGURE 2, FIGURE 18 is like FIG- URE 5, and FIGURE 19 is like a portion of FIGURE 8.

The construction of the turn-over door in FIGURES 17-19 differs from the construction of FIGURES l-16 in the addition of the two iiexible guy cables located on either side of the door opening, the pins 151 secured to the jamb plates 75 in horizontal transverse alignment, and the pins 152 secured to the upper leaf in horizontal transverse alignment on either side thereof at a point about midway between the upper and lower edges thereof. One flexible cable has its upper end pivoted to the pin 151 secured to one jamb plate 75 and has its other end pivoted to the pin 152 on one edge of the upper leaf, and the other flexible cable has its upper end pivoted to the pin 151 secured to the other jamb plate 75 and has -its other end pivoted to the pin 152 on the opposite edge of the upper leaf. The cables 150 are of the same length.

Y The purpose of the cables 150 is to control the movement of the upper leaf only during the time that the wind lock arms 56 pivot between the solid and dotted line positions shown in FIGURE 17. In the closed position of the leaves, the cables 150 support vor suspend the upper leaf. Preferably, the yieldable rollers 72 are engaged by the dogs 70 of the upper leaf so that the weight -of the upper leaf serves to hold the brace arms down in closed position. However, the dogs 70 could be spaced slightly above the rollers 72 in closed position, since the weight of the upper leaf is taken by the cables.

Since when the leaves are closed the upper pivots 151 are vertically directly above thelower pivots 152 and the cables are taut, pivots 152 will rise continuously (swinging on an arc 153, the center of which coincides with pins 151) as the upper leaf swings inward during the time that the wind lock arms 56 swing from the solid line position of FIGURE 16 to the dotted line position thereof. Likewise, during closing movement, the upper leaf will descend continuously during swinging of the wind lock arms by reason of the steady descent of the pins 152 along the same arc.

The cables 151i are taut when the upper leaf is closed and during inward swinging thereof until the wind lock arms 56 assume the dotted line position of FIGURE 17. Thereafter, the cables are slack so that the further 'opening movement of the upper leaf is controlled as in the construction shown in FIGURES 1-16. Points 155 indicate positions of the pins 152 during this portion of the opening movement of the upper leaf. Ihese points are inside the arc 153. When fully open, the pins 152 again lie on the arc 153 so that the cables once again are taut. The same is true on closing movement, that is, the taut cables 150 become slack until the Wind lock arms reach the dotted line position of FIGURE 17, whereupon the cables again become taut until the upper leaf is fully closed.

The cables are taut during the initial opening and iinal closing movement of the upper leaf so that its center of gravity rises continuously upon opening, and descends continuously upon closing. After the wind lock arms 56 reach -the dotted line position of FIGURE 17, continued opening movement of the lower leaf causes the latching bearing 62 to pick up the upper leaf by engagement with the stops 130 thereof. These stops are located in position to be engaged by the bearings 62 at the desired time so that the upper leaf moves smoothly and continuously. This takes place as the cables begin to slacken so there is a smooth, steady rise in the center of gravity of the upper leaf. The reverse is true during closing of the upper leaf, that is, as the wind lock arms 56 arrive at the dotted line position of FIGUREl 17, the cables become taut as the bearings 62 disengage stops 130 to control the further closing movement and gradual descent of the upper leaf.

The location of pins 152 is such that the cables are taut in the fully open position of FIG. 18. If pins 152 are too close to the lower edge of the upper leaf, the cables will be slack when the leaf is fully open, and if too close to the upper edge, the cables will be too tight.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. Mechanism for moving a door leaf between a lower generally upright position closing an opening and an upper open position in which the leaf is disposed generally above the opening at a substantial angle to the plane of the opening, said mechanism comprising means for raising and lowering the leaf, a follower on said leaf near its lower endand guide means for said'follower guiding the movement of said follower between upper and lower positions during raising and lowering of the leaf, and means for guiding the movement of the upper portion of the leaf so that during raising of the leaf its upper portion moves transversely of and away from the opening until the leaf arrives at its open overhead position and during lowering of the leaf its upper portion moves transversely of and toward the opening, said last mentioned means including a cantilever arm assembly, means for guiding the lower end of said arm assembly for up and down movement, a guy arm pivoted at one end to a xed support and at the other end to an intermediate point on said arm assembly, and means at the other end of said assembly adapted to be engaged by the leaf above its follower during raising of said leaf so that the leaf moves said arm assembly and its upper portion is guided thereby during the remainder of its opening movement.

2. Mechanism for moving a door leaf between a lower vertical position closing an opening and an upper open position in which the leaf is disposed generally horizontally above the opening, said mechanism comprising means for raising and lowering the leaf, a follower on said leaf near its lower end and guide means for said follower guiding the movement of said follower between upper and lower positions during raising and lowering of the leaf, and means for guiding the movement of the upper portion of the leaf so that during raising of the leaf its upper portion moves transversely of and away from the opening until the leaf arrives at its open overhead position and during lowering of the leaf its upper portion moves transversely of and toward the opening, said last mentioned means including a cantilever arm assembly having a brace arm and a second arm pivoted together at their adjacent ends, means for guiding the lower end of said brace arm for vertical movement, a guy arm pivoted at one end to a xed support and at the other end to an intermediate point on said brace arm, a

part on said second arm engageable with the leaf above its follower during raising of the leaf tending to straighten said second arm with respect to said brace arm, and a stop on said brace arm engageable with said second arm to limit Ithe straightening movement thereof so that during the further opening movement of said leaf said arm assembly is rigid and guides the upper portion of the leaf.

3. Mechanism as in claim 2 including means for locking said part on said second arm and leaf together when engaged.

4. Mechanism as in claim 2 including a support for the lower end of said brace arm when the leaf is closed.

5. Mechanism as in claim 2 in which means are provided normally supporting said part on said second arm in a horizontal plane through the pivotal connection between the adjacent ends of said brace arm and second arm, and said stop on said brace arm is positioned to engage said second arm to limit straightening movement thereof when said part on said second arm is in a vertical plane through said pivotal connection. Y

6. Mechanism as in claim 5 in which said guy arm is pivoted to said brace arm at a point which, when said second arm is at the limit of its straightening movement with respect to said brace arm, lies on a straight line from said part to the lower end of said brace arm midway therebetween and is one-half the length of said line, whereby during the further opening movement of said leaf when said arm assembly is rigid said part and the portion of said leaf engaged thereby move horizontally.

7. Mechanism as in claim 6 including means for locking said part on said second arm and leaf together when engaged and releasable during closing movement when said part returns to the horizontal plane aforesaid.

8. Mechanism for moving upper and lower door leaves between a closed position in which the leaves are disposed vertically one above the other and an open position in which the leaves overlie one another and are disposed generally horizontally above the door opening, said mechanism comprising means for raising and lowering the lower leaf, a follower on said lower leaf near its lower end and guide means for said follower guiding the same for vertical movement between upper and lower positions during raising and lowering of the lower leaf, means for guiding the movement of the upper portion of the lower leaf so that during raising of the lower leaf it first moves abreast of the upper leaf and thereafter its upper portion moves transversely of and away from the opening until the lower leaf arrives at its open overhead position and during lowering of the lower leaf its upper portion moves transversely of and toward the opening, said last mentioned means including guide means on the upper leaf engaged by the lower leaf as it moves abreast thereof to prevent separation of the leaves, a cantilever arm assembly, means for guiding the lower end of said arm assembly for up and down movement, a guy arm pivoted at one end to a fixed support and at the other end to an intermediate point on said arm assembly, a part on the other end of said yarm assembly adapted to be engaged by the upper portion of the lower leaf as the lower leaf moves abreast of the upper leaf so that the lower leaf moves said arm assembly and its upper portion is guided thereby during the remainder of its opening movement, and means on said arm vassembly for moving the upper leaf to open position with the lower leaf after the lower leaf moves abreast thereof.

9. Mechanism for moving upper and lower door leaves between a closed position in which the leaves are disposed vertically one above the other and an open position in which the leaves overlie one another and are disposed generally horizontally above the door opening, said mechanism comprising means for raising and lowering the lower leaf, a follower on said lower leaf near its lower end and guide means for said follower guiding the same for vertical movement between upper and lower positions during raising and lowering of the lower leaf, means for guiding the movement of the upper portion of the lower leaf so that during raising of the lower leaf it first moves abreast of the upper leaf and thereafter its upper portion moves transversely of and away from the opening until the lower leaf arrives at its open overhead position and during lowering of the lower leaf its upper portion moves transversely of and toward the opening, said last mentioned means including guide means on the upper leaf engaged by the lower leaf as it moves abreast thereof to prevent separation of the leaves, a cantilever arm assembly having a brace arm and a second arm pivoted to each other at their adjacent ends, means for guiding the lower end of said brace arm for vertical movement, a guy arm pivoted at one end to a fixed pivot and at the other end to an intermediate point on said brace arm, a part on said second arm adapted to be engaged by the upper portion of the lower leaf as the lower leaf moves abreast of said upper leaf tending to straighten said second arm with respect to said lbrace arm, and a stop on said brace arm engageable with said second arm to limit the straightening movement thereof so that during the further opening movement of Said lower leaf said arm assembly is rigid and guides the upper portion of said lower leaf, and means on said arm assembly for moving the upper leaf to open position with the lower leaf after the lower leaf moves abreast thereof.

10. Mechanism as in claim 9 in which means are provided normally supporting said part on said second arm in a horizontal plane through the pivotal connection between the adjacent ends of said brace arm and second arm, and said stop on said brace arm is positioned to engage said second arm to limit straightening movement thereof when said part on said second arm is in a vertical plane through said pivotal connection.

11. Mechanism as in claim 10 in which said guy arm is pivoted to said brace arm at a point which, when said second arm is at the limit of straightening movement with respect to said brace arm, lies on -a straight line from said part to the lower end of said brace arm midway therebetween and is one-half the length of said line, whereby during the further opening movement of said leaves when said arm assembly is rigid said part and the upper portions of said leaves move horizontally.

12. Mechanism as in claim 1l including means for locking said part on said second arm and said lower leaf together when engaged and releasable during closing movement when said part returns to the horizontal plane aforesaid.

13. Mechanism as in claim 12 including a part on the lower portion of said upper leaf engageable with said brace arm near the lower end thereof to support said upper leaf in closed position.

14. Mechanism for moving a door leaf between a lower generally upright position closing an opening and an upper open position in which the leaf is disposed generally above the opening at a substantial angle to the plane of the opening, said mechanism comprising means for raising and lowering the leaf, a follower on said leaf near its lower end and guide means for said follower guiding the movement of said follower between upper and lower positions during raising and lowering of the leaf, and means for guiding the movement of the upper portion of the leaf so that during raising of the leaf its upper portion moves transversely of and away from the opening until the leaf arrives at its open position and during lowering of the leaf its upper portion moves transversely of and Itoward the opening, said last mentioned means including an elongated cantilever device, means for guiding the lower end of said cantilever device for up and down movement, a guy member connected at one end to a fixed support and at 4the other end 4to an intermediate point on said cantilever device to guide the movement of said intermediate point on said cantilever device in an arc during the movement of said cantilever device, and means at the other end of said cantilever device engageable with the leaf above its follower so that the leaf moves said cantilever device and its upper portion is guided thereby during at least a portion of the movement of said leaf.

15. Mechanism for moving upper and lower door leaves between a closed position in which the leaves are generally upright one above the other and an open position in which the leaves overlie one another and are disposed generally above the door opening at a substantial angle to the plane of the opening, said mechanism comprising means for raising and lowering the lower leaf, a follower on said lower leaf near its lower end and guide means for said follower guiding the same for movement between upper and lower positions during raising and lowering of the lower leaf, means for guiding the movement of the upper portion of the lower leaf so that during raising of the lower leaf it first moves abreast of the upper leaf and thereafter its upper portion moves transversely of and away from the opening until the lower leaf arrives at its open position and during lowering of the lower leaf its upper portion moves transversely of and toward the opening, said last mentioned means including guide means on the upper leaf engaged by the lower leaf as it moves abreast thereof to prevent separation of the leaves, an elongated cantilever device, means for guiding the lower end of said cantilever device for up and down movement, a guy member connected at one end to a fixed support and at the other end to an intermediate point on said cantilever device to guide the movement of said intermediate point on said cantilever device in an arc during the movement of said cantilever device, a part on the other end of said cantilever device adapted to be engaged by a portion of the lower leaf above its follower as the lower leaf moves abreast of the upper leaf so that the lower leaf moves said cantilever device and its upper portion is guided thereby during further opening movement of said lower leaf, and meansfor moving the upper leaf to open position with the lower leaf after the lower vleaf moves abreast thereof.

16. Mechanism as in claim 15 wherein means are provided for supporting said upper leaf in and near its closed position including a second guy member having one end connected to said upper leaf and the other end connected to a fixed support above said one end in the closed position of said upper leaf, the points of connection of said ends of said second guy member being such that said second guy member is taut and suspends said upper leaf when the latter is closed and also during the initial opening and nal closing movement thereof and such also that said one end of said second guy member swings in a rising arc about said other end thereof during the initial opening movement of said upper leaf to likewise elevate the portion of said upper leaf to which it is connected. 17. Mechanism as defined in claim 16, wherein said Vsecond guy member is a flexible cable, and wherein during the major part of the remaining opening and closing movements of said upper leaf its point of connection with said cable moves in a path which is inside an imaginary arc about the point of connection of said cable to said xed support which arc has a radius equal to the length of said cable so that said cable is slack during said major part of the remaining opening and closing movements of said upper leaf.

18. Mechanism as defined in claim 17, wherein said path and said imaginary arc intersect in the open position of said upper leaf so that said cable is taut in the open position of said upper leaf.

19. Mechanism as dened in claim 16, wherein in the closed position of said upper leaf, said one end of said vsecond guy member is directly beneath said other end thereof on a vertical line.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,283,545 Ogden et al Nov. 5, 1918 1,537,300 Haines May 12, 1925 1,646,432 Tompkinson Oct. 25, 1927 

1. MECHANISM FOR MOVING A DOOR LEAF BETWEEN A LOWER GENERALLY UPRIGHT POSITION CLOSING AN OPENING AND AN UPPER OPEN POSITION IN WHICH THE LEAF IS DISPOSED GENERALLY ABOVE THE OPENING AT A SUBSTANTIAL ANGLE TO THE PLANE OF THE OPENING, SAID MECHANISM COMPRISING MEANS FOR RAISING AND LOWERING THE LEAF, A FOLLOWER ON SAID LEAF NEAR ITS LOWER END AND GUIDE MEANS FOR SAID FOLLOWER GUIDING THE MOVEMENT OF SAID FOLLOWER BETWEEN UPPER AND LOWER POSITIONS DURING RAISING AND LOWERING OF THE LEAF, AND MEANS FOR GUIDING THE MOVEMENT OF THE UPPER PORTION OF THE LEAF SO THAT DURING RAISING OF THE LEAF ITS UPPER PORTION MOVES TRANSVERSELY OF AND AWAY FROM THE OPENING UNTIL THE LEAF ARRIVES AT ITS OPEN OVERHEAD POSITION AND DURING LOWERING OF THE LEAF ITS UPPER PORTION MOVES TRANSVERSELY OF AND TOWARD THE OPENING, SAID LAST MENTIONED MEANS INCLUDING A CANTILEVER ARM ASSEMBLY, MEANS FOR GUIDING THE LOWER END OF SAID ARM ASSEMBLY FOR UP AND DOWN MOVEMENT, A GUY ARM PIVOTED AT ONE END TO A FIXED SUPPORT AND AT THE OTHER END TO AN INTERMEDIATE POINT ON SAID ARM ASSEMBLY, AND MEANS AT THE OTHER END OF SAID ASSEMBLY ADAPTED TO BE ENGAGED BY THE LEAF ABOVE ITS FOLLOWER DURING RAISING OF SAID LEAF SO THAT THE LEAF MOVES SAID ARM ASSEMBLY AND ITS UPPER PORTION IS GUIDED THEREBY DURING THE REMAINDER OF ITS OPENING MOVEMENT. 